In Loving Memory of Bruce Bowen...

by sambunnell on Feb 6, 2012 10:21 PM CST

Funny. He never led the team in scoring, rebounding, or assists. He's one of few men who can pull off a bow tie. And he appears to be irreplaceable in this league. I've been searching through rosters for the next BB, and I'm sorry, but Tayshaun Prince/Shane Battier/Tony Allen/Metta World Peace he ain't.

So. He was greatness. But where do the Silver and Black turn? Danny Green? He doesn't appear to have that lock-down technique. James Anderson seems to NOT be the answer in a lot of ways. Kawhi Leonard? Becoming the best perimeter defender in SA, but really a different sort of player. Cory Joseph? Too early to call, but dyed-in-the-wool Longhorn fans know he isn't the answer. Gary Neal, Richard Jefferson, and Manu simply cannot provide what Bowen did: that tough, hard-nosed, never-back-down play combined with an understated, humble, self-controlled attitude resulting in a supreme confidence that won him many a battle over elite scorers in this league for years.

To me, acquiring a legitimate perimeter defender must be the Spurs off-season calling card. Whatever available international or domestic assets there are must be on the table, and a willingness to spend must be understood. This team won championships on defense and teamwork. Until these young, developing Spurs can hang their hat on those concepts, it's just a matter of when, not if, they are tripped up by a team that does. We love Green, Leonard, Splitter, etc...but let them be Old Spurs...and let them win.

Poll

What defender should the Spurs target in 2012 free agency?

SG Gerald Henderson-Charlotte Bobcats

0 votes

SG Mickael Pietrus-Boston Celtics

3 votes

SG Courtney Lee-Houston Rockets

0 votes

SG Alonzo Gee-Cleveland Cavaliers

0 votes

SF Nicolas Batum-Portland TrailBlazers

18 votes

SF Gerald Wallace-Portland TrailBlazers

10 votes

SF Matt Barnes-Los Angeles Lakers

0 votes

31 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 36 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

We had Alonzo Gee on our roster once. I like Green & Leonard’s energy and I truly think we don’t need any more old dudes on our team unless they still have some All Star quality years left in the tank. I do like Batum and Henderson though

One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.

by gunnin' gervin on Feb 6, 2012 10:38 PM CST reply actions

Kevin Garnett. Yes, he’s a douche, but I don’t care. Sign him and Duncan to identical new contracts and let them finish out their careers here.

The longest, brightest day is followed by the darkest night.

by Tim C. on Feb 6, 2012 11:08 PM CST reply actions

He is a great defender
But when i think about it
Garnett and Duncan …..They have been rivals since the past decade. Do you think he can accept his role with the spurs?

by cuentaluis1 on Feb 7, 2012 12:51 AM CST up reply actions

Sure, but he’s not coming, so yeah, he hasn’t.

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Feb 7, 2012 5:34 PM CST up reply actions

I’d love to see that happen. Duncan I’m not worried about, of course—whether the Big Ticket could stomach playing alongside his longtime rival would be my biggest concern.

"You may all go to hell, and I will go to Texas." -Davy Crockett
"Give me an army of West Point graduates, and I'll win a battle. Give me a handful of Texas Aggies, and I'll win a war." -Gen. George S. Patton

by Trey Felder on Feb 7, 2012 8:27 AM CST up reply actions

This turned back the clock for me, when the Admiral was set to retire and the Spurs were looking for someone to team up with Timmeh. My NBA Live Spurs team dominated!

by TD21 on Feb 7, 2012 9:51 PM CST up reply actions

Why would you even … It’s like I don’t even know you anymore.

The 2012 season: the Spurs have a chance, but only if Manu can be Manu in the playoffs. - CapHill
Pounding the Rock

by J.R. Wilco on Feb 8, 2012 1:29 PM CST up reply actions

You’ve changed…

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Feb 8, 2012 1:46 PM CST up reply actions

Maybe it was a dream of mine for the last 9 seasons. And maybe I heard some rumors about Boston trying to rebuild this upcoming offseason.

The longest, brightest day is followed by the darkest night.

by Tim C. on Feb 8, 2012 5:11 PM CST up reply actions

They want young talent. Spurs don’t got that much. Or enough to part with the key talent they currently have.

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Feb 8, 2012 5:26 PM CST up reply actions

He’s a free agent.

The longest, brightest day is followed by the darkest night.

by Tim C. on Feb 8, 2012 5:35 PM CST up reply actions

oh i was thinking trade. i guess from free agency. I think he goes Lakers.

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Feb 8, 2012 5:43 PM CST up reply actions

Or maybe sells out to Miami.

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Feb 8, 2012 5:43 PM CST up reply actions

Does Satan have a team? He’d be a cinch for the Sulphur City Demons.

The 2012 season: the Spurs have a chance, but only if Manu can be Manu in the playoffs. - CapHill
Pounding the Rock

by J.R. Wilco on Feb 13, 2012 11:37 AM CST up reply actions

One of the best things Bowen did, was make top scorers want to beat him at all costs. It made them get away from their game plans, take unnecessary shots, and usually double their outputs in order to get their usual numbers. (Kobe Bryant) Either that, be so pissed about him being all over them, they mentally caved. (Ray Allen/Vince Carter)

Of the list in the poll, I would go with Batum. I don’t see any use for the rest.

"Why didn't we draft Julyan Stone?" TJ73

by TrooperJoe73 on Feb 7, 2012 12:41 AM CST reply actions

yep, that’s the bit that most people dont mention often. Even if the oposing star had big numbers and a good efficiency, they would get away from their game plans. I remember that a lot of times Kobe scored like 35-40 with good percentages against bowen, but the rest of the lakers were completely cold because Kobe like so many scorers wanted to “beat” bowen, forgetting about the result of the game.

my mom (who doesnt know a lick about basketball): "that guy is anything but World Peace"

by Chilai on Feb 7, 2012 1:02 AM CST up reply actions

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/h2h_finder.cgi?request=1&p1=bryanko01&p2=bowenbr01

YES

by cuentaluis1 on Feb 7, 2012 1:07 AM CST up reply actions

THAT was really the hidden value of Bowen’s defense. The mental aspect couldn’t be quantified even in the stats of the player he was guarding. They knew before they even hit the floor that they’d have to work doubly hard to get close to their normal output, and many a scorer simply couldn’t handle the pressure of staying within a disciplined gameplan when number 12 was hounding them all over the court.

by Trey Felder on Feb 7, 2012 8:29 AM CST up reply actions

Courtney Lee

Anybody following Courtney Lee resurrecting his career in Houston? Think he or a new and improved Gee might inject an attitude of no-holds-barred defense again in the Alamo City?

by sambunnell on Feb 7, 2012 1:50 AM CST reply actions

Lee is small is he not? I’d shy away from defensive PG’s because they can only really guard one position (usually). Gee might work out back here, but I think with Leonard he becomes superfluous.

by Big50 on Feb 7, 2012 2:14 PM CST up reply actions

Lee ain't small...and he's a SG.

He is 6’5, 200 lbs. He also isn’t a PG. You must be thinking of someone else…

by sambunnell on Feb 7, 2012 2:36 PM CST up reply actions

If Spurs have to pay too much for Green or they don’t like Anderson by the end of the year, he’s a pretty good wing that’s around. He’s definitely a good one to keep your eye on. He was a big part of that Orlando championship team.

He’s a 2 guard/weak 3 btw.

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Feb 7, 2012 5:36 PM CST up reply actions

Danny Green may be the guy we need to sign in the 2012 FA market despite the fact he may not be on Bowen’s level. I also think Leonard is going to be our future lock down guy. That I like several of the guys you listed. I’d love Wallace, but he’s going to cost too much. Batum intrigues me.

by Big50 on Feb 7, 2012 9:45 AM CST reply actions

Honestly, Green and Leonard would be bigger than just one Bowen. The Spurs need to re-design their defense so to speak. With the Duncan era, going away soon, they need to build up the defense throughout all their players as much as possible. It can account for possibilities in not having a dominant defensive big like a Duncan (of the past).

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Feb 7, 2012 5:37 PM CST up reply actions

Did he die?

"Sometimes I think I lost something really important to me, and it turns out I already ate it."

by DrumsInTheDeep on Feb 7, 2012 10:54 AM CST reply actions

Seriously. Every time I see the title to this post my stomach drops. He is alive and well as far as I know…

by ptcashion on Feb 7, 2012 11:02 AM CST up reply actions

i was worried as well…

"got him at 42……Chad Ford can’t keep up with RC ‘Bargin Basement’ Buford."

Spurs Yoda on Draft Night 2011

by Joe deLarios on Feb 7, 2012 11:11 AM CST up reply actions

There was also a thing about Bill Russel on Yahoo sports that made it seem very similar a few days ago. Scared the crap out of me.

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Feb 7, 2012 5:46 PM CST up reply actions

I honestly think that our perimeter defense is fine at the moment. I don’t think we need another defensive only player now that we have the growth of kawhi to look forward to. However, I wouldn’t say no to Mbah a Moute if we could get him.

I’d prefer a solid big man.

"If the NBA season is a marathon, Gregg Popovich is a full-blooded Kenyan."

-Timothy Varner 48MoH

by Jordan Leithart on Feb 7, 2012 11:26 AM CST reply actions

Really?

You think our perimeter defense is fine? I can’t say I’ve heard too many fans or analysts or Spurs coaches or players who would agree. Solid big man would be great, though Splitter is turning into a productive and consistent force off the bench. Then again…most every NBA team would love to have another solid big man. Mbah a Moute would be great, but we’d have to trade for him. If you’re going that route, it opens up quite a few other defensive-minded players. But I don’t see us adding much through trade this year. Could be wrong, of course.

by sambunnell on Feb 7, 2012 2:41 PM CST up reply actions

I think that the perimeter defense is fine … not to mention that the spurs have 4 SG and 2 SF
The defense between Duncan and Splitter is fine … but it can get better

See what happens to the mavs with Tyson Chandler, before that they have some good perimeter defenders like kidd, marion

by cuentaluis1 on Feb 7, 2012 3:05 PM CST up reply actions

Well, I think you only chase one of them if you lose Green next year. However, a Batum/Leonard pair of wings is quite intriguing.

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Feb 7, 2012 5:47 PM CST up reply actions

for instance..

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Feb 7, 2012 5:47 PM CST up reply actions

There are no Bowens out there. I love some of the guys in the poll and some of them are better than any perimeter defender the Spurs have, but they are not at Bowen’s level. Also I think Kawhi has showed enough flashes of defensive prowess to make me believe that he could be on par or better than some of the guys you mentioned by next year. I’m not opposed to getting a solid two-way swingman but the priority should be a big man IMO.

"Manu Ginobili is the ultimate human cheat code, the password to the rim."
-Alex Dewey

by Edg5 on Feb 7, 2012 12:08 PM CST reply actions

Very much in agreement with your post

As my article said, there are no Bowens. Leonard is showing good signs, but he’ll never be Bowen…he brings a different style.

As far as big men, there will be five or six solid centers available in free agency. Maybe we make a move to bring back Twin Towers again?

by sambunnell on Feb 7, 2012 2:44 PM CST up reply actions

I think it’s less about Leonard and more about who else will be a wing in the Spurs future. Green and Anderson are both free agents, to some extent. Manu isn’t the future, but now. In theory, the Spurs could roll out next year with Leonard and Batum, for example.

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Feb 7, 2012 5:45 PM CST up reply actions